Naked Scientists Special Editions

Ancient parasites could be used to cure severe allergy sufferers according to new research from the University of Cambridge. Matt Burnett discovers how Dr Piers Mitchell has unearthed which parasites infected our ancient ancestors. Doctors could use these parasites, which have co-evolved with us, to divert the attention of an overactive immune system away from allergens. This could be the best way to treat patients with severe allergies like asthma and hay fever, and may even have implications for other diseases like inflammatory bowel disease.

The Victorian Science Spectacular came to Newcastle as part of the British Science Festival, and Ginny Smith went along to see what it was all about, and caught up with some of the performers afterwards. Dr Aileen Fyfe and Prof. Iwan Morus showed what new technologies the Victorians would have been astounded at, and discussed why we need to think about the past when doing science.

This week after public vote, the Blobfish was announced to be the world's ugliest animal. The poll was run by Ugly Animal Preservation Society, a group of comedians and scientists who are part of a comedy show aiming to champion some of nature's more aesthetically challenged creatures. Naked Scientist Priya Crosby spoke to president of the society Simon Watt, along with some other members of the cast, to find out more about the project. Warning: This podcast contains one instance of strong, manure-based language.

Is real-time blood sugar monitoring on your phone a pipe dream? Not according to Professor Mike Trenell at Newcastle University. Matt Burnett finds out about the diabetic athletes testing a new diabetes monitoring system on a 2100km bicycle tour from Brussels to Barcelona...

Sugata Mitra's 'Hole in the Wall' experiments in a New Delhi slum showed how easily children can learn using the internet, with no adult supervision or guidance. He terms this Minimally Invasive Education, and has since repeated the experiment in many different countries. This year, he has been awarded the TED prize to develop his idea further, so Ginny Smith tracked him down at the British Science Festival to find out more about how children can learn, without a teacher.

The population of the modern world is ageing. However, not everyone's quality of ageing is equal and simple factors, such as where we live, can have a major impact on how healthy we are in to old age. Peter Gore, Professor of Practice for Ageing and Vitality at Newcastle University is part of a group which is using real people in a simulation to investigate how we can improve our quality of life in to old age. Naked Scientist Priya Crosby spoke to Professor Gore at the British Science Festival 2013 to find out more about how this simulation could change the way that we cope with ageing.

Dancing is a complicated skill, and learning a new routine changes the brain. Ginny Smith caught up with Antonia Hamilton and Emily Cross at the British Science Festival to find out more about their research, and how it might be shedding light on the differences in the way children with autism learn.

Rutherford Appleton Central Laser Facility scientist Dr Ceri Brenner enlightens Ginny Smith about the world of lasers at the British Science Festival, 2013.

Physicist Chris Frost explains, at the British Science Festival 2013, how cosmic rays disrupt the everyday technologies we rely on, as he outlines for Naked Scientist Priya Crosby...

The cocktail party effect and how the brain decides which sounds to attend to, genes dismissed as dead relics turn out to play significant roles in inflammation, iPS cells reproduce degenerative retinal disease, the genetic responses to flu jabs, and the discovery of stem cells in schistosomes...

Today marks the first day of the fourth test in the Ashes and while England have already retained the urn, they're hoping that their spin bowlers, including the likes of Monty Panesar can help secure a series win. Dominic Ford wanted to find out the science behind spin bowling so he visited the Australian 'spin doctor', Professor Hugh Hunt to bounce some balls around in his office at Trinity College Cambridge

Diamonds are the new best friends of laser scientists. A new world of lasers is now being created through research which is harnessing the exceptional qualities of diamonds. It will open up new possibilities in the way that lasers can be used in areas such as medicine. Jane Reck from the EPSRC has been finding out more....

We are often encouraged to relax during our lunch break, but research suggests that this can do interesting things to our minds.

Enceladus, the tiny Saturnian satellite, regularly issues jets of salty water from its south pole that reaches kilometres in height above the moon's surface. But what drives this process? Gravitational tidal forces caused by an eccentric orbit, it seems. Cornell scientist Matt Hedman has analysed where in the Enceladus orbit the plumes are most pronounced...

How can you make sure you are safe when you cycle? It might be more difficult that you think to ensure cars spot you...